ASC addresses Ocean Action Panel 9 at United Nations Ocean Conference

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) are two science-based, nature and people-focused, data-driven NGOs sharing the Vision that 100% of fisheries and aquaculture must be sustainably and responsible managed.

There is urgency, and we need Change. Yet, the Triple planetary crisis and SDG challenges also present great opportunities for People and Planet, for collaboration and the Blue Economy…for Blue Foods… for zero poverty and for zero hunger.

Our work is also fully aligned and supportive of the One Ocean Science Congress; and of this Ocean Action Panel 9’s Concept Paper recommendations; notably regarding Sustainable Aquaculture and Fisheries, Gender Equity, Improved Market Access and Data Collection/Analysis.

However, when ESG performance data exists for seafood production systems, it is often not up-to-date, impact-relevant, comparable or publicly available. This hinders investor confidence and the business case for sustainability. Improved transparency of quality and science-based seafood monitoring data is the key to addressing this.

Blue Finance must be upscaled; and Investors need credible, verifiable and timely quality ESG data from companies, industries and countries alike, in order to have trust… for Blue Foods to be bankable.

ASC and SFP are advancing aquaculture improvements and developing a multi-stakeholder, landscape-level roadmap in India. This aligns with the shift in seafood sustainability toward scalable efforts that complement certification and benefit production, people, and planet. It also offers an opportunity to address shrimp farming’s impact on critical habitats and the ecosystem services they support.

Progress to achieving the interconnected UN SDGs is not to be taken for granted. It can be reversed or slowed.

Oceans stakeholders and Blue Economy stakeholders require verifiable, impact-led, sustainability data. In sustainable aquaculture as elsewhere: What gets measured… what gets published and verified… gets ‘Done’.

Data and Transparency is key to Our Ocean’s Health… to Our Health and to Our Future.